We thought we’d share some of the resources that blessed us during our sabbatical as they may be a blessing to you too!
Peter’s Favourite Books from the Sabbatical:
The Unhurried Pastor, by Brian Croft and Ronnie Martin – This was an excellent book. A great reminder that the Word, prayer, and contemplation are not luxuries in ministry . . . they are our job. So we need to do whatever it takes to make a sustainable life and ministry possible.
The Emotionally Healthy Leader, by Peter Scazzero – This was a very helpful book addressing the importance of the inner life in a Christian leader. I’d like to dip back into this book in the future for my sake, and for other leaders in the church.
50 People Every Christian Should Know, by Warren Wiersbe – I really enjoyed these 50 short biographies of “spiritual giants of the faith.” Some of them were inspiring, others were challenging. It was a pleasant and easy read in the early weeks of the sabbatical.
The Epic of Eden, by Sandra Richter – This is an introduction to the Old Testament. A college textbook does not usually make for light reading, but it was surprisingly well-written and enjoyable.
Melanie’s Favourite Books from the Sabbatical:
Unshakeable, by Jason and Tori Benham – This is an engaging book on how to combat overwhelm and anxiety from a biblical perspective has impacted me so much. It was probably the best book I read on our sabbatical, and I have been putting things into practice from this book every day!
Humble Roots, by Hannah Anderson – A thought-provoking gentle read that unpacks the idea of humility using illustrations from God’s creation. I learned so much.
Simply Tuesday, by Emily P. Freeman – The subtitle: Small-moment Living in a Fast-Moving World. Another very gentle and thought-provoking read related to embracing our humanness and trusting God.
You’ll Get Through This, by Max Lucado – This book is full of rich insights on dealing with suffering from the life of Joseph.
From Mecca to Christ, by Ahmed Joktan – An amazing true story about a Muslim man finding Christ. I couldn’t put it down!
Replenish, by Lance Witt – In short and engaging chapters, this book explains why pastors should prioritise cultivating a healthy soul and how to do it. I highly recommend this one for every Christian leader.
Marriage Books: (which we read together as a couple)
From Anger to Intimacy, by Gary Smalley and Ted Cunningham – We found this book really helpful in understanding our “hot buttons” in conflict, what is behind our anger (which is a secondary emotion) and then figuring out what to do with it.
Mars and Venus In Touch, by John Gray – This little book of highlights from Gray’s famous book (Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus) proved to be very helpful to us. Not a Christian book, but so helpful in increasing understanding of male and female differences.
Website: Howwelove.com – We took the “Love Styles” marriage quiz and the results, plus other resources (some were free, some we paid for) have really revolutionised our understanding of each other. We highly recommend this resource!
Books we loved reading out loud with the girls:
Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry – This is a moving story of a family in Denmark who helped Jews to safety during World War 2.
Kisses From Katie, by Katie Davis – A powerful true story of a young woman who went to serve the Lord in Africa and ended up adopting many children. So inspirational!
God’s Smuggler, by Brother Andrew – Another incredible true story of a Dutch man who secretly brought God’s Word behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War and eventually became the founder of the ministry Open Doors.
Children’s Books:
The Amazing Generation, by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price – An extremely eye-opening book that highlights the dangers of smartphones and social media. It gives kids great ideas about how to have screen-free fun. It’s aimed at pre-teens and has lots of graphics and fun elements. But I would say it should be required reading for all parents (even if your children are small!) and all teenagers too! Also check out the book (for adults) The Anxious Generation.
The What Katy Did series (5 books), by Susan Coolidge – Kaylah and I both read this series (written in the late 1880s) and really enjoyed it!
Places we Visited and loved:
The Great Smoky Mountains (in Tennessee and North Carolina)
Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum (in Mansfield, Missouri)
The Ark Encounter (in Williamstown, Kentucky)
The Creation Museum (in Petersburg, Kentucky)
Places we Stayed and Loved:
**Both of these places were in beautiful, peaceful surroundings hosted by wonderful, gracious people.
Broom Tree Refuge, near Mountain View, Arkansas (for people in ministry)
The Beginning of the Rest, near Chattanooga, Tennessee (for missionaries)
Sabbatical specific resources:
Sabbaticals: How To Take a Break from Ministry before Ministry Breaks You, by Rusty McKie – A short, engaging, biblical read on how to plan and carry out a restorative sabbatical. We found it very helpful in planning our sabbatical.
Sabbatical video training course – by Restory Labs
